John Ratcliff's long-awaited sequel to his earlier Electronic Arts hit
688 ATTACK SUB has finally surfaced in the form of SSN-21 SEAWOLF. 688
Attack Sub gave computer submariners a chance to flex their skills in an
arena of modern submarine warfare, and its modem play capability gave
them a chance to test their mettle against a live, presumedly
intelligent human opponent. Seawolf continues its predecessor's fine
tradition, and its arrival is well-timed, coming right on the heels of
the only other sub game to hit the market recently, Microprose's SUBWAR
2050. Subwar may appeal to some who like the idea of futuristic subs
racing about like jet fighters with torpedoes less accurate than some of
the worst performers of WWII, but for those of you thirsting for a more
contemporary sub challenge, Seawolf is just what the doctor ordered.

Seawolf gives you three ways to play. You can tackle any of 33 missions
on an individual basis; you can work your way through a campaign
consisting of all 33 missions in the proper order; or you can engage a
friend in head-to-head play over a direct (null modem) connection, by
modem, or over a Netbios-compatible network. This reviewer was unable
to evaluate the head-to-head options, but they appear fairly well
implemented--you can even send sound effects to the other player or
record your own "voice mail" to send. The prospect of engaging a live
human opponent in a sub-to-sub duel is well worth checking out if you
have a friend with Seawolf, but the rest of us will have to be content
with the assortment of missions provided and the computer opponents
bundled with them.

The background is simple--somehow things in Russia just didn't quite
work out, the Soviets are back, and by the way--it's World War III!
This may be a simple set up, but it's fairly well fleshed out--each
mission is tied to the normal mission outline, a more candid and direct
briefing from the Commander-in-Chief, and the latest breaking news
stories. You'll get a pretty good idea of what you need to do for each
mission, and what's at stake if you should fail. Upon mission success
(or failure), you'll be debriefed by the C-in-C (if still alive!) and
get a chance to see how your results were reflected in the news.

Once you embark on a mission, you find yourself out in the middle of
things, 150 feet under (attack depth--the depth at which you can use
missiles to attack surface vessels). Each mission takes place on its
own fairly detailed terrain map (all 33 are generated during
installation, using the by-now familiar "plasma cloud" method), but
you'll find yourself starting out in different locations should you try
the same mission more than once. Your first order of business will be
to improve your situational awareness, and most likely you'll begin by
deploying your towed sonar array, to improve your passive sonar
capability. For most missions, caution is the key to survival--begin
racing about at flank speed and sending out active pings, and you might
as well paint a bulls-eye on your forehead and tape a "Kick Me!" sign to
your back.

You'll find at your disposal several situational views. The overhead
map display is where you'll find yourself most often, and comes in two
varieties, low-res and hi-res. Hi-res only gives you more
aesthetically-pleasing detail when you're zoomed in close and near a
coastline, otherwise, the two modes are identical in function. You'll
see sonar contacts on this map, color-coded according to their identity
(friend, foe, or neutral), dimmed if they are old (lost) contacts, or
gray if they are as yet unidentified. The manual promises that a legend
describing the sonar contact symbology is to be found on Seawolf's
"reference card" (actually a pamphlet), but such is not the case.
Fortunately, such a legend does appear in the on-line hot-key help in
the game, though the symbols will pretty much be simple to decipher
without it. You'll also see tracks indicating the "wake" of each vessel
on the map, very handy for determining their speed and course, and
observing their reaction to your sub's activity.

The overhead view can get pretty cluttered, especially if you have
submerged contacts fairly close to surface contacts. A 3D contour image
view will provide a sonar image of the undersea floor about your sub,
and is perfect for picking out enemy subs without having to sort through
surface clutter. An experienced sub driver could presumedly also use
this view to help exploit the undersea terrain to his advantage.

Sooner or later, someone will want to raise their sub to periscope depth
and use their scope to gaze longingly at the sea, sky, and surrounding
surface vessels or what's left of them. Seawolf provides a pleasing
scope view, though you'll actually find yourself not needing it or using
it as often as you would in a WWII sub sim. The rolling sea is
beautiful, as are the various skies one will encounter (the sea at
sunset, thunderstorms, etc.). The bitmapped ships are decent, though a
bit magnified, making everyone seem a bit closer together than they
actually are. You will see missile launches and ship explosions as you
expect, but after a while, you'll tire of the fact that they're really
just the same pre-rendered animations over and over again. You'll be
best off sticking to attack depth (150 feet) or below. If you want, you
can launch a remote camera that'll bob to the surface and show you a
grayscale, continually rotating facsimile of what you'd see through your
periscope.

Once you've deployed your towed sonar array and start seeing a few
unidentified contacts popping up on your map, it's time to hit the
waterfall display and try to figure out what they are. If you've got a
supported digital sound card, you're in for a treat. The sonar
waterfall display is positively the *best* aspect of Seawolf. You find
yourself looking at a circular display. On the perimeter of this
display, bright flashes of color indicate sonar contacts at that
particular bearing--the brighter the color, the stronger the contact. As
time progresses, the colors fade in to the center of the display,
producing the "waterfall" effect as well as providing a history of
recent sonar contacts. The display is reproduced in an "unfolded"
rectangular form on the screen, which can ease the observation of a
contact's heading change in relation to your sub.

You can focus on and analyze any sonar contact by moving an indicator
around the perimeter of the waterfall display until you've aligned it
with the sonar signal of interest. This is where having a good digital
sound card will come in handy, as you will be able to hear (and
distinguish between!) the various sonar contacts. If you have a stereo
sound card, you win even more--a signal to the left of your current
focus will sound as if it's coming from the left, and so forth. A graph
to the right will show the strength of the signal, and a computer
spectrum analysis will appear beneath the graph. Though your sub's
sonarman will eventually analyze and identify contacts on his own, you
can utilize the spectrum analysis and a handy chart in your reference
pamphlet to beat your sonarman to the punch.

Sooner or later, the game's interface might get in your way. The menu
structure is fairly straightforward, but the arrangement of some items
is awkward from menu to menu, and you might find yourself clicking on
the wrong things in a frantic, panicked haste. There are many hot-keys
and they will prove of great use, but there are certain functions that
practically demand a hot-key but weren't assigned one--firing torpedoes,
for instance. Experienced Seawolf players will soon find themselves all
but avoiding the mouse and using keystrokes to navigate the various
menus quickly and reasonably consistently, especially when it comes to
weapons functions.

As the captain of a Seawolf-class attack submarine, you've got quite a
few weapons at your disposal. You have six missiles, two each of
Harpoon, Tomahawk, and Sea Lance classes (the latter useful against subs
as well as surface vessels). You have long range torpedoes, high speed
torpedoes, wakehoming torpedos, and stasis torpedoes. Unfortunately,
the various distinctions between weapons is not documented at all in the
game's manual, though they are fairly simple to figure out. Until your
torpedoes reach the limits of their guidance cables, you have an
impressive amount of control over them--you can direct them to search
out the nearest sub or surface target, detonate them prematurely, or
send them to a waypoint.

Depending on the mission and type of enemy, you can expect anything from
almost sheer ignorance of your presence and hostile intentions to a
veritable sea of chaos. Some vessels seem to accept your death-dealing
torpedoes with open arms, while others (especially those pesky attack
subs!) have the audacity to actually take *evasive* action and then
engage *you*! I'm quite impressed with the perceived A.I. of the
computer opponents--doing stupid things (like broadcasting your presence
with the cavitation generated by going flank speed or by pinging
actively) will generally get you killed quickly, or at least dodging a
mess of incoming torpedoes. You'll find yourself trying to be as quiet
as possible and as deep as possible in order to get the job done and get
out alive. The harder missions may very well find you trying your best
to exploit the undersea terrain and thermal layers to your advantage
while praying that the enemy does not.

It might take a while to notice it, but the music in this game is
exceptional. It molds itself to the mood and pace of the current
situation, and keeps you tense at all the right moments. It never
overpowers the game. It demands a good MIDI card just as the sonar
sounds demand a good digital sound card. Crew voices are also well
done, rounding out the game with helpful audio feedback to your various
commands and updates on your status. There is something very personal
in hearing one of your poor crewmen scream, "We're all gonna DIE!" right
before that third torpedo blows your sub apart.

The one flaw in the Seawolf package is the game's manual. Aside from
the previously mentioned omissions (sonar contact symbology and weapon
descriptions), one gets the sense that it was hastily slapped together
in an effort to rush the game to market. (This actually was the case,
apparently.) The manual *will* help you get started with the game,
however, and once you've immersed yourself in the simulation, the manual
may be conveniently forgotten.

Seawolf stands on its own, a remarkable piece of work that succeeds
despite its flaws. It places the interested player in an environment
where you'll really feel the pressure of being trapped in a tin can
underwater, with sonar as your only eyes to the outside world. The
tailored music and beautiful sonar sound effects enhance the atmosphere
and heighten the illusion, and the graphics are pleasingly functional.
Anyone looking for fast action and low strategy needs to look elsewhere.
Anyone interested in a compelling simulation of modern submarine warfare
will probably not be disappointed in Seawolf. It is the best game of
its type out on the market today, and probably will be for some time.

This review is Copyright (C) 1994 by R. Cliff Young for Game Bytes
Magazine. All rights reserved.